Singletracks Mountain Bike Podcast

Renee Hutchens is a mountain biker, storyteller, and artist living in Colorado. As a member of the Diné Nation, Renee is an advocate for both Indigenous people and the lands they call home. In this episode we discuss what it means to have a respectful and consensual relationship with the lands where we ride. Renee explains the meaning of the phrase environmental justice and talks about the mission of the Ute Land Trust. We talk about how words and naming in the bike industry can be hurtful to indigenous communities and why land acknowledgements at races are important. Follow Renee on Instagram @renay.h and view her work at linktr.ee. Editor's note: We reached out to Handup for comment about the "savage" glove mentioned in this interview and received the following reply: "We stopped selling these gloves in June 2020 after this came to our attention. Since then, we've changed gears to highlight 'Gloves that Give' in order for us to be able to give back to underrepresented community members of the mountain bike industry." --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Matt Martinez is the executive director of Dream Bikes, a non-profit organization that strategically places used bicycle stores in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods to provide hands-on, paid job training to teens. Dream Bikes has refurbished and returned more than 10,000 bikes to service, and operates two shops in Wisconsin. We ask Matt: Is there a lot of demand for bike mechanics? How does the pay for professional mechanics compare to other jobs? What kind of impact can access to affordable bikes have on communities? Are you seeing increased demand for bikes during the pandemic?  Beyond providing repairs and selling bikes, how does a thriving local bike shop impact neighborhoods? Is there an environmental aspect to your mission? Beyond the training your group provides, what is the value of a more formal bike repair education? Does a lack of infrastructure like bike lanes or even trails limit the reach or utility of the program in the communities where you operate? What are some ways mountain bikers can help your organization? Are there other opportunities to help communities through bikes? What is the greatest need you’re currently unable to meet? Learn more at dream-bikes.org. Cover photo caption: Experienced bike mechanic Paul Brazeau works with Ryan Jackson on a repair. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

No, this isn't a sponsored episode; we just wanted to geek out on a topic that most of us take for granted!  Rob Martin is the managing director at Outdoor Sports Insurance, a Horizon Agency program dedicated to working with sports equipment manufacturers and retailers. Tori Hoeschler is senior vice president at Horizon Agency and works with all aspects of the Outdoor Sports Insurance Program. Like us, you may have wondered: Are bike shops liable for faulty repairs? Are more bike shops starting to offer rentals? What should consumers know about signing equipment rental or guide service waivers?  With such a high demand for bikes currently, are your retail clients seeing an increase in theft? How does product liability coverage work? How is that related to product recalls and warranty issues? How much of the cost of a bike product, or a service like a bike park lift ticket, typically goes toward covering insurance? More information at outdoorsportsins.com. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

This is part two of our interview with pioneering mountain bike skills coach Gene Hamilton. If you missed part one, be sure to load it up in your podcast app and listen! In this episode, we ask: Is it possible for mountain biking to be bad for our health? What’s a mountain bike skill that separates pros from those who would consider themselves advanced or even expert riders? Are some bike tires better at cornering than others? Which ones?  How has mountain bike skills training changed over the past two decades, in terms of the techniques and the skills you’re teaching? As someone who has won Masters-level DH competitions, what tips do you have for staying fast and fit at your age? Do you think today’s bikes make it easier for riders to go faster, or to have more fun? How much of performance comes down to the bike, and how much to the rider? Connect with Gene and his team at Betterride.net. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Gene Hamilton is a former pro downhill racer who created one of the first mountain bike skills courses in the late 1990s. Today Better Ride holds clinics around the US, teaching regular riders and pros alike how to ride fast. In the first half of our conversation, Gene answers: How did you get into mountain biking racing? Once you realized that you had hit a wall in terms of your own skills development, how did you go about researching proper mountain bike skills? Were there any surprises based on your early research, or any “aha” moments that stuck out? How can riders take advantage of momentum to go faster on the trail without putting in extra effort? And we're just getting started! Tune in next week for part two of our conversation where Gene shares the skills that separate the pros from advanced riders, his favorite tires for cornering, and how our understanding of bike skills has evolved over the years. Connect with Gene and his team at Betterride.net. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Rick Reed is the Brand Manager for Ride Concepts, a mountain bike footwear company based in Reno, Nevada. Before joining Ride Concepts, he was a sales director at Five Ten. In this episode we ask Rick: Why are mountain bike shoes more expensive than “regular” shoes? Is there really an advantage to wearing something made specifically for biking? How does pedal grip translate to trail grip when it’s time to hike-a-bike? Is there a sweet spot when it comes to sole stiffness? Is stiffer always better, at least when you’re on the pedals? What do you think about the trend toward moving cleat positions back toward the mid foot? Are there advantages to using traditional laces instead of Velcro or something like a Boa, or is that just for aesthetics?   What types of features can be built into a shoe to provide protection against injury? What are the biggest constraints when it comes to designing a good bike shoe? How is the environmental footprint factored in when designing a pair of shoes? Are there ways the impact can be minimized? Where are most mountain bike shoes manufactured? How are women’s mountain bike shoes different from men’s shoes? When you sponsor athletes like Rachael Atherton, do you have a way of quantifying the return on that investment? Do influencers move the needle to a similar degree? Get more info about some of the shoes we covered in this episode at RideConcepts.com. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Douglas Carchrie is a bicycle mechanic, mountain bike guide, and mountain bike trail consultant at Big Mountain Scotland. He has also served as a national park conservation intern and conducted research into mountain biker behavior as a student at the University of Highlands and Islands in Scotland. In this episode, we ask: Do mountain bikers tend to bother animals more than other trail users? What are some of the things mountain bikers have been asked to do to avoid disturbing animals like the threatened Capercaillie bird? Based on your study, do you think most mountain bikers are willing to change their behavior if they understand the impact of their actions? Which methods are most effective when it comes to communicating conservation information to riders? There are a number of tools available to land managers, including enforcement, trail design, and education. Which ones provide the biggest impact in your opinion? Based on your experience as a mountain bike guide and director for Big Mountain Scotland, where are some of the best places to ride in the country? Read more about Carchrie's study here: https://www.bigmountainscotland.co.uk/post/mountain-bikers-awareness-of-capercaillie-in-the-cairngorms-national-park And if you missed part one of our discussion of mountain biking and the environment, be sure to go back and listen to our previous show, episode #279. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Doug Blease is a mountain biker and environmental researcher based in Scotland. He’s a member of IMBA-EU and has served in active trail planning roles with the Aberdeen Trail Association. In this interview, we ask: What does an environmental impact assessment look like when it comes to trail planning? How big of a concern is erosion when it comes to bikes, especially compared to other trail users? How resilient is nature in terms of the ecosystem? Could there be long-term effects due to trail building if it’s not done properly? As individuals, how can we minimize the impact of our rides? How can we balance the tension between creating opportunities to enjoy the environment, with protecting it from damage or overuse? How would you grade the mountain bike industry’s overall eco footprint? If you'd like to contact Doug for advice or to ask a question, email info@singletracks.com and we'll pass your message along. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks *Cover photo: Luis Ascenso Photography from Lisbon, Portugal, via Wikimedia Commons

Jeremiah Stone is a mountain bike skill instructor who has taught hundreds of riders across the western USA with Ninja Mountain Bike Performance and the Sedona Mountain Bike Academy. He’s also a freelance trail builder and machine operator in addition to being a skilled rider. In this interview, we ask: How did you develop your own mountain bike skills? Did you have a coach? Do you think today’s mountain bikes make it easier to be a good biker, compared to the equipment that was available in the old days? Timing seems to be a big factor when it comes to landing jumps or clearing doubles. How can riders develop a good sense of timing and speed? Why is it easier to ride a technical feature once you’ve seen someone else ride it first? What are some common bad habits when it comes to technical trail descending? Beyond improving physical fitness, are there skills that can make climbing on the bike more tolerable? Do you have any tips for helping riders overcome their fear of trying something new? How does that advice change for someone recovering from a traumatic crash? Connect with Jeremiah on Instagram @vitabrevis and learn more at ridelikeaninja.com.  --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks

Jon Cariveau is the head of marketing for Moots, the Steamboat Springs, Colorado based bike brand known for hand building premium, titanium bikes. Jon is a passionate rider and racer, and has been with the brand for 24 years, starting in the shop when Moots had less than half a dozen employees. Moots is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year so we look back at some of the brand's unique bike designs and product decisions over the years, starting with the YBB soft tail mountain bike released in the 1980s. We also ask: What are the biggest advantages of a titanium mountain bike frame? What are the disadvantages or tradeoffs? In 2010 Moots featured a "96er" in the lineup. Are you surprised to see mixed wheel bikes making a bit of a comeback today? As a company that is building bikes domestically, how has Moots been dealing with supply chain disruptions due to Covid? How does the company's location in Steamboat Springs, Colorado influence the products and design? What does Moots have in store for the next decade? What will we be talking about when Moots celebrates its 50th anniversary? To learn more about Moots, visit moots.com. --Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks